The present invention relates to providing the ability to engage in sexual intercourse for males having difficulty developing or maintaining penile erection. It is medically well known that there are many causes of male impotence, but that one potential solution to the problem of impotence is to provide dilation of the blood vessels of the penis in order to provide an erection.
Consequently, a reliable method of providing penile vasodilation is needed. It is well known that there are a number of pharmaceutically active vasodilator materials. One of them, papaverine hydrochloride, is known to be used for injection into the penis to produce erections.
Vasodilators thus being known for clinically producing erections, there remains to be developed a system of delivery of an effective vasodilator, such as papaverine, without the need for an injection. A system of drug delivery which has become known is the use of transdermal patches to deliver pharmaceutical materials percutaneously.
Such transdermal patches are known for assisting users to quit smoking, as with NICODERM.RTM. of Marion Merrell Dow Inc. of Kansas City, Mo. 64114 or HABITROL.RTM. of Basel Pharmaceuticals, Division of Ciba-Geigy Corp., Summit, N.J. 07901. NICODERM.RTM. is a nicotine transdermal system in which the user attaches a medication-containing patch to the skin for varying time periods over several weeks. The patches comprising the system contain medication in varying doses. HABITROL.RTM. includes a patch having an adhesive layer attached to a patch having an imbedded pad soaked with a solution of nicotine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,158 of Ruwart describes transdermal antisecretory agents for gastrointestinal disease.
Such transdermal patches have advantages over oral administration of medications, in that the transdermal medication is not interfered with by gastric acids or enzymes, nor does the liver have the ability to interfere during the effective period of drug administration. Transdermal patches are generally layered structures, with the bottom-most, skin-facing layer comprised of an adhesive having microholes. Above this adhesive layer is a medication-containing layer, and a waterproof cover layer is generally provided. The adhesive serves to attach the patch to the skin and the medication in the central layer is provided to the skin through the microholes in the adhesive layer. The medication enters the bloodstream by percutaneous absorption, or, in common parlance, transdermal penetration. A further advantage of the patches is that, to an important extent, they reduce or eliminate user mistakes and forgetfulness. In addition, transdermal patches provide slow-release, measured medication over a period of time much longer than would be available if similar medication were taken orally.
Transdermal patches have been discussed for use with cancer patients ("Skin Patch Fights Cancer's Agony", USA Today, V. 120, p. 14-15, February 1992) to treat diabetics ("Skinside Out", by Deborah Erickson, Scientific American, V. 265, p. 128+, November, 1991) for cardiac patients ("Helping The Medicine Go Down-Or In", by Suzanne Wooley, Business Week, p. 84, Jan. 22, 1990; L. Gourse, "Patchwork Medicine", Science 85, V. 6, P. 79+, October 1985; Kaplan, G. "This Won't Hurt-Really", Nation's Business, V. 73, p. 25, August 1985) and to treat hormonal symptoms ("The Anti-Aging Patch for Women" Good Housekeeping, by S. Fields et al., V. 208, p. 163-164, February 1989; "Patching Up Your Health", Prevention, by Heidi Rodale, (Emmaus, Pa.) V. 40, p. 76-81, January 1988 ; "Hot Flash!", P. McCarthy, Health, (New York, N.Y.) V. 19, p. 29, November 1987; "More About Estrogen Skin Patches", Saturday Evening Post, (C. Servaas) V. 259, p. 52-54, Jan./Feb. 1987, Newsweek, V. 107, p. 69, Jun. 30, 1986), and transdermal patches have even been discussed for use in administering cosmetics and perfume. (Corie Brown, "From Making Hearts to Winning Them", Business Week, p. 153+, Nov. 16, 1987).
In "New Way to Take Medicine", Good Housekeeping, V. 203, p. 191, August 1986, author Harriet Manley discusses the mechanism by which medication flows from the patch to the skin.
Other literature discussing transdermal patches includes "Patching Up Drug Deliveries", Newsweek, V 107, P. 69, Jun. 30, 1986, by M. Clark and "New Technology Allows Medicine Without Pills", Jet, V. 69, p. 20, Jan. 20, 1986.
Nowhere in the prior art has there been a combination of a vasodilator and a transdermal patch for providing male erections. With this new and useful combination of elements, a third natural element in producing male erections for sexual intercourse is the well known use of condoms. Condoms are increasingly important in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and, with the present invention, they will serve to provide enhanced, hygienic and safe sexual activity for men who otherwise are unable to have sex.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,345 of McEwen discloses a prophylactic condom having a reinforced cap to prevent breakage of the condom at the tip of the condom. U.S. Pat. No. 2,586,674 of Lonne discloses a prophylactic condom with reinforced annular extensions for structural integrity of the condom.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,417 of Clinch discloses a method of treating the surface of a condom with a lubrication oil deposited upon the surface of the condom. U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,212 of Dal Borgo describes a method of layer upon a surface with the application of heat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,546 of Chem discloses a patch bandage in general. U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,225 of Czirely describes a shortened condom which is adhesively attached to the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,215 of Anderson discloses a hydrogel pad attachable to the skin for electro stimulation treatment of injured body limbs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,094 of Micklus describes a condom which is coated for a low coefficient of friction. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,274,420, reissue 31,454, 4,306,551 and 4,307,717 of Hymes disclose substrate pads for attaching to the skin as electrodes or bandages. U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,494 of Hogin discloses a condom with an annular ring strap to hold the condom in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,910 of Conway describes a condom catheter having an adhesive to prevent leakage during urinary medical tests. U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,790, also of Conway describes a condom having an adhesive to maintain the condom in place. U.S. Pat. No 4,415,548 of Reddy discloses a condom saturated with a spermacide solution. U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,688 of Hauser describing a urinary catheter with a pressure adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,600 of Meadows discloses a condom with structural parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,723 of Harmon describes a condom with adhesive to hold the condom in place. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,032 also of Harmon discloses a condom with adhesives to hold the condom in place.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,032 of Harmon describes a condom having internally sprayed spermacide medicine, and auxiliary texturized portions to increase stimulation, but does not suggest the use of a transdermal patch within a condom, wherein the transdermal patch emits a vasodilator directly to the skin. Furthermore, nowhere in the prior art is there discussed the use of discreetly obscuring the view of a vasodilator patch for male erections, by secreting the patch within the condom, out of view from a sex partner.